STATE IN BUSINESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21503, 29 May 1933, Page 5

STATE IN BUSINESS

SEVERAL COMPLAINTS THE SALE OF WINES In further response to a broadcast invitation by the Associated Chambers of Commerce for the citation of cases of interference by Government with private business, a number of letters were dealt with at a meeting in Wellington last Friday of the executive of the association, when At was decided that the cases be taken up and represented to the Government.

Two private wine manufacturing concerns wrote with reference to the unfair competition of the Department of Agriculture in the sale of wine produced on the experimental station at Te Kauwhata. It was stated that the State vineyards had been established .about 30 years ago as an experimental station to demonstrate the possibilities of wine-growing in New Zealand. The department had been trading in wines for years, and had recently gone into the business more extensively by placing its wines with an authorised distributor at prices with which private concerns could not compete. The operations of the State in this direction were tax free as well as being free from other charges and overhead expenses that had-to be borne by private competitors. It was decided to ascertain from tho Government whether it intended to carry out the recommendation of the National Expenditure Commission in tho direction of disposing of the Te Kauwhata station at the earliest opportunity.